Satay skewers: the benchmark of authentic Thai food! Think deeply marinated chicken with a peanut sauce that’s so good, everyone will be begging for the recipe. Serve this with steamed jasmine or Coconut Rice. Or go all out with a Thai restaurant banquet complete with Thai Fried Rice , Pad See Ew or Thai Chilli Basil Stir Fry!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Thai Chicken Satay skewers
At the risk of sounding totally obnoxious – this is a recipe for Chicken Satay skewers with Thai Peanut Sauce that truly stacks up to your favourite Thai restaurant.
When it hits the stove, the smell is SO GOOD you will just know they are going to taste amazing.
Then you have a taste of the peanut dipping sauce…… and you’ll just shake your head, wondering how the heck can something so simple taste so good??!!
Or you might be thinking – OMG, I finally cracked it, this tastes EXACTLY like the authentic Chicken Satay I had in Thailand!!! Oh wait, maybe that’s just in my head. 😂
What goes in Chicken Satay and Thai Peanut Sauce
It might surprise you how few ingredients go in Chicken Satay and the peanut sauce! Here’s what you need:
The BEST Thai Red Curry Paste
Thai Red Curry paste is a “secret ingredient” in both the marinade and the sauce. You just need about 2.5 tbsp which doesn’t sound like much, but we don’t want this to taste of red curry. We’re just using it as a flavour enhancer.
While I’m an advocate of homemade curry paste for Thai Red Curry and Green Curry, for recipes like this that use a smaller quantity, I use store bought.
I use Maesri Thai Red Curry Paste which I think is the best by a long shot. I also use this same brand for Green Curry and Red Curry for quick midweek curries.
It also happens to be the cheapest, at around $1.30 per can at major supermarkets like Coles, Woolies and Harris Farms.
How to make Thai Peanut Sauce
Thai Peanut Sauce is almost unbelievably simple to make. It’s literally just a 5 minute plonk-and-simmer job:
coconut milk
red curry paste
cider or white vinegar (not lime juice!)
pure peanut butter (see below for more info)
soy sauce
sugar
cooking salt / kosher salt (halve the quantity if you only have table salt which is finer. So 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt = 1/2 tsp table salt).
For the BEST Thai Peanut Sauce, use natural peanut butter
While commercial peanut butter spread is ok, if you want a really great authentic Thai Peanut Sauce that truly stacks up to your favourite Thai restaurant, use pure peanut butter. You’ll find it in the health food section of most supermarket nowadays.
Pure peanut butter is made with JUST peanuts – no sugar, oil or other additives – so the peanut flavour is stronger.
Also, natural peanut butter is thinner than commercial peanut butter spreads (see below) which means you need less water to thin the sauce = better peanut flavour in Thai Peanut Sauce!
Ahead of publishing this recipe, I tried the Thai Peanut Sauce with natural pure peanut butter vs commercial peanut butter (Kraft, now Bega) side by side to confirm this!
I’m a firm believer that Chicken Satay skewers should be tasty enough to eat on their own and the peanut sauce just takes it over the top. So I like to marinade the chicken to make it extra tasty.
Chicken Satay Marinade
Here’s what you need for the Thai Chicken Satay Marinade:
Chicken pieces – chicken thighs yield the juiciest chicken skewers but breast or tenderloin are fine
Red curry paste – see above for my recommended brand Maesri
Curry powder – any is fine here
Coconut milk
sugar
cooking salt / kosher salt – halve the quantity if you only have table salt which is finer. So 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt = 1/2 tsp table salt.
It’s best to marinade for at least 3 hours but even 20 minutes is long enough.
Cooking the Chicken Skewers
Chicken satay is a summertime favourite to cook on the BBQ. But I usually cook it on the stove for convenience.
For a really authentic Thai experience, cook the Chicken Satay over charcoal like it’s done in Thailand!
Thai Chicken Satay is a popular starter on Thai restaurants menus along with Thai Fish Cakes. But it’s also ideal served as a main. Serve it with steamed jasmine rice – or with fluffy Asian Coconut Rice (it’s amazing!). Or go all out with Thai Fried Rice or Pineapple Fried Rice!
For a fresh side salad, try this Asian Slaw, or use this Asian Sesame Dressing for a fresh salad or steamed vegetables.
If you want to go all out with a homemade Thai Banquet, serve this Chicken Satay as the starter with Thai Chilli Basil Stir Fry, a curry (Massaman Curry, Green Curry or Red Curry) with Coconut Rice as the mains. Or Pad See Ew! ~ Nagi x
Recipe source: An original creation but the roots of this recipe are from various Thai cookbooks and renowned Thai food experts like David Thompson and Sujet Saenkham (owner of the famous Spice I Am restaurants). Except I’ve made this recipe so it’s accessible to everyday cooks – without compromising! 🙂
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 400 g/14oz coconut milk (1 can), full fat
- 13-16 bamboo skewers , 16cm / 6.5″ long (Note 1)
Marinade:
- 600 g / 1.2lb chicken thighs , boneless skinless, cut into 2cm/4/5″ pieces (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp curry powder (Note 3)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp red curry paste (Note 4)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (sub 1/2 tsp table salt)
Thai Peanut Sauce:
- 2 tbsp red curry paste (Note 4)
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, smooth (Note 5)
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 6)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (sub 1/2 tsp table salt)
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar (Note 7)
- 3/4 cup water
Serving:
- 2 tbsp peanuts finely chopped
- Lime wedges (optional)
- Coriander / cilantro leaves and sliced red chilli (optional)
Instructions
- If cooking on a BBQ or over charcoal, soak skewers for 2 hours in water.
Thai Chicken Satay Skewers:
- Mix together the chicken and Marinade with 1/4 cup of coconut milk, then set aside for at least 20 minutes, or overnight.
- Thread onto skewers – I do 4 to 5 pieces each.
- Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan over medium high heat.
- Cook skewers in batches for 3 minutes on each side until golden.
Thai Peanut Sauce:
- Place remaining coconut milk and Peanut Sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium low heat.
- Stir to combine then simmer, stirring every now and then, for 5 minutes.
- Adjust consistency with water – it should be a pourable but thickish sauce.
- Cover with lid and keep warm while cooking skewers.
Serving:
- Pour some sauce into a bowl. Sprinkle with some peanuts – stir some through if you want.
- Pile satay skewers onto a platter, sprinkle with remaining peanuts, coriander and chilli.
- Serve with sauce on the side for dipping. Add a side of Jasmine Rice or Thai Fried Rice to complete the meal!
Recipe Notes:
- Sauce for for rice, noodles, veggies (raw or steamed)
- Make a simple Gado Gado with steam veg, hard boiled eggs and rice
- Dip for prawn crackers and vegetables
- As the dressing for this Chinese Chicken Salad, Satay Noodle Salad, Peanut Noodle Salad or Sesame Noodles
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
He thought I said PELICAN satay……
Hi Nagi… I love this recipe, and so does my partner.
He however, has a shellfish allergy and get’s sick because of the red curry paste that contains shrimp paste.
Do you have any suggestions to maintain the kick and flavour but lose the shrimp paste?
The Ayam brand Thai Red Curry paste is vegan i.e. no shrimp paste in it. Hope this helps.
Hello, Cock Brand Red Curry paste doesn’t include Shrimp Paste, hope that helps.
Hi Jess,
Use the curry paste Nagi recommends – Maesri Red Curry Paste. There’s no shrimp paste in it. Ingredients –
“Fresh Chilli, Garlic, Shallot, Salt, Lemongrass, Sugar, Kaffir Lime, Galangal, Spices”.
You can get some vegan red Thai curry paste in Asian stores where I live (UK)
Made this for dinner tonight. Not my first recipe from Nagi, but first time cooking this one. Holy @#$%. This was amazing and I could happily have that peanut sauce ingested intravenously.
Maesri contains no shellfish, I’m vegan and it’s the only main stream supermarket brand that doesn’t. And it’s super authentic in flavour too! Big win! 🤩
Love this recipe but don’t like to cook with white sugar. Can coconut or palm sugars be substituted? Or perhaps honey? Thank you.
I used coconut sugar, not a problem. It is a common substitute in Asian cooking esp if you prefer slightly darker sauce.
Undoubtedly one of the best sauces we have ever tasted thanks for sharing.
amazing! First successful and so easy to follow peanut sauce recipe. Will be making over and over again. Didn’t have time for skewers, so just grilled chicken quarters but kept the marinade – irresistible! Thank you, Nagi!
Okay this is the best recipe for satay I have ever used. It was delicious. So not hard to follow. I felt like I was serving up restaurant quality satay!!!! Thankyou 😍
This recipe is excellent. This is the second time I made it and it has been a hit both times. I have made it once with chicken thighs and once with chicken breast which I prefer. Both were excellent. This is definitely one of my go-to recipes now if taking an appie to a party.
Awesome recipe! How long can you keep the peanut sauce in the refrigerator?
This sauce is AMAZING 🤩Absolutely love it. Tried it the next day with prawns. Definite winner 🏆 Thank you 😊
This was so easy to make and tasted delicious. The chicken was very tender and the sauce was so simple to make and so so tasty. I’ll be making this again and again. Thank you!!!
Best satay ever. Sauce was especially good. I have just come back from Bali. I might go back and teach them how to make your satay..
the survey is in….. best satay chicken ever voted unanimously by the family.
So easy to make too.
This satay is so amazing, I prefer it to many restaurant versions. The recipe is so easy and only uses things you can get from the supermarket. I’m often amazed I’ve made something so delicious!
Huge hit in our house. The chicken was so tender, and the satay sauce is so tasty! Easy, quick – so (another) winner winner from Nagi!
The first time ever trying to make satay sauce and boy it won’t be the last!!! I am just wondering what to do with a supermarket purchased bottle of satay lurking in my pantry as I won’t use it now I can make my own. You are a genuis Nagi.
I love this recipe, so delicious! Just wondered if the marinated chicken (uncooked) would freeze well? Should I omit the coconut milk if freezing?
Love this recipe so easy every time I serve it people want the recipe
Love these!!! So simple to make, and the sauce is incredible! Definitely a crowd pleaser as an appetizer but I make it for dinner as is.
A M A Z I N G
Having lived in Thailand for many years the one thing I missed chicken satay. Nagi’s recipe just transported me back to a happy place. Thank you so much
Simply the best. Takeaway will never match this one